EDS 199 ePortfolio - Conclusions and Recommendations

EDS 199 ePortfolio

Working with our community’s Sangguniang Kabataan council has opened my eyes to the reality of youth-led organizations at the local level. Aside from the pressure of developing youth-centered programs that target the holistic development of their constituents, their every step is meant to combat the stereotypes against the council. Not only do they often get bypassed by their seniors despite holding considerable authority in the office, but the idea that the council is all about holding basketball league games is still a popular disposition among the members of the community. Indeed, it isn’t an easy feat to campaign for your advocacy in the local elections, but so is upholding them once you’re seated and the whole community sets its keen, assessing eyes on you.

This is one of the factors that motivated me to provide them with a quality collaborative project through instructional design. I am powerless to fully eradicate the misconceptions of people against the council but if I could assist in upskilling the council members on areas they lack to improve their approach to managing youth development programs, then I could confidently call my project meaningful and fruitful. I kept this goal in mind throughout the design and development of my project management Self-Learning Modules and seeing the results of our collaborative hard work has given me immense satisfaction.

This collaboration and project made me realize that in its very essence, instructional design is both educational and empathetic. As developers, we aim to provide an effective material or service to our learners that will optimize their learning, and in our desire to do so, we learn how to tailor our projects to fit them like a glove. We explore and try to understand their problems, needs, and characteristics and communicate openly to ensure that their needs are not overshadowed by our wants as developers.

For future Bachelor of Education Studies students who will also take the path of instructional design on their EDS 199, I strongly encourage you to gather as much information as you can about your learners and partner institution. Although I have conducted surveys and interviews to assess my partner’s characteristics and needs, there are numerous things I wish I could have done differently. Try to get a more in-depth understanding of their learning styles, skills, and prior knowledge through interviews or observations. Even though you cannot easily quantify their words and behavior, their responses could give you a broader and deeper understanding of their identities as learners.

The usage of these SLMs is not limited to my partner institution alone. Although the design is tailored to meet my target learners' needs and learning preferences, they can be used as learning materials by other Sangguniang Kabataan councils in the country. However, for future EDS 199 students who will conduct an instructional design project, you may consider contextualizing your instructional plan/ technology/ material on your specific project locale. The localized version of the SLM 3 titled "Mga Instrumento at Gawi Para sa Task at Time Management" is specifically designed for the SK council of Barangay Sapangbato in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Localized Project Management Module 3.pdf

The content is still similar to the original version of the SLM 3. However, this localized version makes use of Filipino, English, and Kapampangan words--- languages that are spoken in the barangay and the target learners as revealed in the learner analysis. The examples and situations used in the localized SLM are also aligned with the previous projects and activities that the target learners conducted which increases the SLM's relevance to their roles and identity. This kind of contextualization of an instructional design project is recommended to better suit your target learners.

Moreover, when designing the instructional plan, try to put yourself into their shoes and imagine how would a person of their age and background respond to the output you are developing. This is one of the things I initially failed at during the early stages of my project. The SLMs were text-heavy and lacked sufficient visual properties suitable for my target learners’ age group and learning preferences. I had to do several major overhauls of design to achieve the SLMs that would be most fitting for my learners.

Furthermore, do not solely look at your special project as an output or service you give to your partner institution. Try to also perceive it as an opportunity for you to grow as a learner where you can revisit and apply the learnings you acquired from your past courses as a BES student. It won’t be easy to weave all of your knowledge together cohesively like a nice blanket but the result is surely worth your time and effort. This is precisely what I saw and experienced when I finally arrived at the culmination of my project.

The pilot testing and learners' evaluation survey also resulted in some recommendations I think future EDS 199 students can consider. The technical issues that the learners might face during the synchronous online class should be included in the possible threats to your project. This includes weak Internet connectivity and device issues. During our pilot testing, the stormy weather exacerbated these problems. Therefore, by doing so, you can create plans ahead of time on how to address it on your project. Furthermore, you may also consider using another learning modality other than online learning if your learners face connectivity and device issues. Additionally, check the weather forecast to choose a suitable day for your pilot testing to reduce external dependencies like the weather.

My EDS 199 journey has not been a flower path but rather a road full of boulders I painstakingly moved and crossed over to get to the end. However, its conclusion does not mean I am not carrying valuable takeaways from all of the insightful learning experiences I gained. Today and in the future, I carry with me the skills and knowledge I sharpened and acquired as I move forward to reach my other goals and my EDS 199 experiences are crucial stepping stones for them.

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Get in touch at ajfujino@up.edu.ph